Report from Worcester - 12/23/2013

The Report from Worcester is a weekly update on the San Jose Sharks AHL affiliate, the Worcester Sharks.

Shark Snap Shot:

The Worcester Sharks (12-11-1-1, 26pts) chomped four out of a possible six points last week (2-1-0-0) in a 3-in-3 road weekend in Pennsylvania.

The Sharks began the weekend by taking down the East Division leading WBS Penguins 4-1 on Friday and followed up on Saturday with a 3-2 win in Hersey. Despite firing 44 shots in the weekend finale in Hershey on Sunday, the Sharks were shutout for the first time this season in a 4-0 loss to the Bears.

Freddie Hamilton had his five game point streak (6-3-9) snapped on Sunday after recording four points (3-1-4) on Friday and Saturday. Jimmy Bonneau scored his 1st goal of the season, the GWG over the Penguins on Friday while the Sharks scored a pair of power play goals for just the 2nd time this season in the victory over the Bears on Saturday.

The Worcester Sharks player of the week nominee is forward Freddie Hamilton. The 21-year-old forward from Toronto, Ontario recorded four points (3-1-4) in three games last week highlighted by a three point game (2-1-3) in the Sharks 3-2 win at Hershey on Saturday.

Milestone alert:
Forward Bracken Kearns has played in 498 games in the AHL. Kearns is expected to play in game #500 when the Sharks host the St. John’s IceCaps on Friday.

Few things to know….

The Worcester Sharks are currently in 5th place (12-11-1-1, 26pts) in the Atlantic Division and 14th place overall in the Eastern Conference. – the Sharks trail by even points for the 8th and final playoff spot in the East but have five games in hand over the Norfolk Admirals.

The San Jose Sharks currently have 12 players on their roster that have spent time in Worcester (Couture, Desjardins, Pavelski, Sheppard, Wingels, Braun, Demers, Stalock, Irwin, Vlasic, Nieto, Hamilton and McCarthy).

The San Jose Sharks are currently in 3rd place in the Pacific Division and 5th place in the Western Conference with 50 points and a 22-8-6 record.

The Worcester Sharks have played the fewest amount of games in the AHL (25).

Defenseman Nick Petrecki played in his 254th game as a member of the Worcester Sharks on Dec 8, surpassing Mike Moore for the franchise lead in games played.

Rookie goaltender Troy Grosenick ranks 1st among all AHL goaltenders with a 2.01 GAA and tied for 2nd with three shootout wins, and is 6-3-0-0 this season.

Veteran Bracken Kearns leads the club with 18 points (5-13-18), tops in power play points (3-7-10), and has currently play 498 games in the AHL. Kearns is expected to play in his 500th AHL game on Friday vs. the IceCaps.

Despite missing nine games due to injury, Daniil Tarasov is tied for the team lead with nine goals, 2nd with 17 points (9-8-17) through just 16 games. Tarasov is 3rd in AHL with three game winning goals and also has a shootout game winner.

Worcester Sharks alumni Matt Nieto (Oct 8 vs. NYR) and Matt Pelech (Oct 10 at VAN) each have scored their first career NHL goals for the SJ Sharks this season.

Worcester Sharks alumni Alex Stalock is 4-1-0 with the San Jose Sharks this season with a 2.02 GAA and a .936 save %. Stalock made 44 saves, was 5-for-5 in the shootout, and was the #1 star in his first career start at the SAP Center in San Jose in the Sharks 3-2SOW vs the Stars on Dec 21.

Coach Roy Sommer currently ranks 4th in the AHL with 552 wins in his career (16th season) and 2nd in games coached in the AHL with 1217.

Top 3… Last Week!

Freddie Hamilton recorded three points (2-1-3) to extend his point streak to five games in the Sharks 3-2W at Hershey on Saturday!

Marek Viedensky recorded a goal and an assist in the Sharks 4-1W at WBS on Friday!

Matt Tennyson scored a goal and added an assist in the Sharks 3-2W at Hershey on Saturday!

Rewind the Tape:12.20.13 – Wilkes-Barre Scranton 1 – Worcester 4 – W – Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
The Worcester Sharks (11-10-1-1, 24pts) snapped a two game skid with a 4-1 victory over the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins (16-8-1-2 35pts) at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza on Friday evening.
Freddie Hamilton, Jimmy Bonneau, Marek Viedensky, and Dan DaSilva all scored for Worcester while Harri Sateri made 24 saves in the victory as the Sharks scored more than three goals in a game for a 2nd time this season.

12.21.13 – Hershey 2 – Worcester 3 – W – Giant Center
Freddie Hamilton extended his point streak to five games (6-3-9) with a pair of goals and an assist to lead the Worcester Sharks (12-10-1-1, 26pts) past the Hershey Bears (11-10-2-3 27pts) by the count of 3-2 in front of 8,744 fans at the Giant Center on Saturday evening. Matt Tennyson added a first period power play marker and an assist while Troy Grosenick was terrific making 29 saves in the victory as the Sharks improve to 2-0-0-0 in the 3-in-3 weekend.
12.22.13 – Hershey 4 – Worcester 0 – L – Giant Center
Despite firing 44 shots on goal, the Worcester Sharks (12-11-1-1, 26pts) were shutout for the 1st time this season with a 4-0 loss to the Hershey Bears (12-10-2-3 29pts) in front of 8,986 fans at the Giant Center on Sunday afternoon. Freddie Hamilton had his five game point streak snapped and Harri Sateri made 30 saves in the loss as Worcester grabbed four points in the 3-in-3 road weekend in Pennsylvania. David Leggio made 44 saves for the Bears in his 1st shutout of season.